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Ep 97 (http://ibit.ly/Re5V) Caroline Hollins Martin pt 1 on Birth Trauma, Psychology, and the Midwife's Journey

@PhDMidwives #research #midwifery  #education @EdinburghNapier #birthsatisfactionscale 

research link - t.ly/I6zN1
https://www.bss-r.co.uk

What happens when a lifelong calling meets relentless intellectual curiosity? Caroline Hollings-Martin takes us on her extraordinary journey from the moment she witnessed a birth video in secondary school and thought, "That is a miracle" to becoming a professor with over 139 published papers spanning midwifery, psychology, and birth trauma.

Travelling through four decades of healthcare evolution, Caroline shares fascinating contrasts between midwifery training then—with its starched caps and strict hierarchies—and now. Her vivid descriptions transport us to delivery rooms where she discovered her purpose and academic halls where she pushed boundaries by combining midwifery with psychology long before interdisciplinary approaches became mainstream.

The conversation reveals powerful insights about evidence-based practice, exploring why healthcare professionals sometimes struggle to challenge authority even when research supports them. Caroline's groundbreaking work on birth satisfaction (creating the BSS-R scale now used globally) and birth trauma offers practical tools for identifying women needing support, while her work with Turner syndrome demonstrates how midwifery skills extend beyond traditional settings.

Most compelling is her candid account of completing a PhD while working full-time—comparing the process to labor itself: "Every contraction is one less. It's like three feet forward and two back, but you're inching forward with every contraction." Her purple graduation shoes story perfectly captures the determination that drives her work and inspires listeners to pursue their own academic dreams.

Whether you're considering advanced education, seeking to blend disciplines in your career, or simply fascinated by the evolution of healthcare, this episode offers both practical wisdom and heartfelt inspiration. As Caroline quotes Oscar Wilde: "We're all lying in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." Listen now to elevate your vision of what's possible in your professional journey.

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